“Game of Thrones” on HBO is based off No. 1 New York Times bestseller author George R. R. Martin’s series “A Song of Fire and Ice.” Martin released book five, “A Dance of Dragons,” in the series July 2011 and is heavily involved in the production of the HBO show. Season two will depict the infamous Battle of the Blackwater that was scripted for the show by Martin himself.
Season 2, “The Cold Winds Are Rising,” will début in April 2012 as the war for the throne of Westeros begins. If you haven’t watched season one or read the books there are (minimal) spoilers ahead.
King Robert Baratheon is dead and without leaving a suitable (legitimate) heir to the throne, Baratheon’s two brothers Stannis and Renly are staking claim. However, as King Robert started a war 15 years prior to take the throne from the Targaryen family, other lords are rising up and proclaiming themselves king of the lands they rule and challenging King Joffrey Baratheon, who is a product of incest between Queen Cersei and her brother Ser Jaime (though this is not known to all the characters). Political alliances are made and broken as whispers change the course of events and death consumes the land.
Meanwhile, the last heir to the Targaryen dynasty is across the Narrow Sea learning to become a ruler and planning to take her place as the rightful heir. Season one left Queen Daenerys rising out of the ashes with three freshly hatched dragons, which also represents the crest of house Targaryen. Season two will focus on Dany’s ability to lead and make decisions for her own small group of Dothraki followers as well as set the foundation for her to take Westeros back.
A plethora of major and minor characters are being introduced in season two and when it comes to casting; the actors in the “Game of Thrones” series are spot on. Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister on the show, won an Emmy as best supporting actor in season one of the series.
The “Game of Thrones” world created by Martin is a fantasy series for adults. Good battles evil, but good doesn’t always win; and as in real life – where there is trust, love and security – there is betrayal, hate and abandonment. Martin is an excellent in creating characters, fully developing personality, speech and background, which transitions well into the show’s portrayal of the penned series. It is shocking to see a prominent character snuffed out, but Martin knows what it takes to pull the story together, and I must admit, it is refreshing to see the typical “good guy wins” mold broken. It’s what keeps me wanting more.
